Draft gear



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S. J. STRID DRAFT GEAR Filed March 13, 1926 Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

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svnn J. strain, or omoae ILLruoIs, nssrenon r0 ROY J. coon, or CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

, DRAFT GEAR.

Application filed March 13, 1926. Serial No. eases.

to the movements of the coupler butt, or the like, under draft and buffing strains. Other objects reside in the provision of an easily 1 assembled, economical. and efficient mechamay be varied as desired, as my invention;

resides in the draft gear itself rather than nism by which a relatively great resistance will be presented for a comparatively short travel of the coupler body.

Other objects willbe morefully set forth and described in the following, specification and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through an embodiment of my invention, the coupler butt and shank being indicated. in full line. Fig.2 is a vertical section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken along the line3-3ofFig.1.. 10, 10- indicate generally spaced'draft sills having draft lugs 11 secured thereto and pro- 16013111 therefrom in well known manner.

12 indicates a conventional form of coupler having a butt 12 fitting "the hooded end 13 of the yoke 18, which extendssrearwardly from the hooded end, as shown in Fig. 1. Thisyoke and the included draft gear may be supported by cross straps 15, or infany suitable manner. A key-block 17 co-acts with the hooded endof the yoke 13 toretain the coupler 12 against withdrawal from the yoke in the particular form illustrated. although it is to be understood that details of the coupler butt, yoke" and securing means in the elements mentioned.

Located at the rear of the coupler butt 12 is a follower 19 of conventional-construction. vThe draft gear itself includes the socket member 20, open at the front end and closed at the rear end as indicatedat 20 'The closed end 20 of the socket 20 "contacts with the rear end of the yoke 13, as shown in Fig. 1, for example. Mounted in the for-.

sockets 20, or are so arranged that their rear ends terminate some distance short of the closed end of. the socket 20, and a coiled spring 30 is located int-he socketbetween the inner ends of the plates 27 and 28 and the closed end 20 of the socket.

Located between the slide plates 27 and 28 and spaced therefrom, is the plunger member 32 having the tapered ends 33 and 32 at front andiback, respectively. Intermediate the tapered portions are the recesses 82. The plunger ends are also cored out, as indicated at 32 for lightness.

Interposedbetween the slide plates 27, 28 and the front 22 of the plunger 22 are the upper and lower wedge blocks 35 and 36, respectively, while at therear end 32 of the .plungerare provided the upper and lower wedge blocks 37, 38, respectively.

Each of these blocks is provided with a por-. tion a; pro ect1ng from one of the recesses 32,

1 the adjacent ends of theupper wedge blocks and the lower wedge blocks being spaced apart. The coiled spring 39 is mounted between adjacent ends of each pair of wedge blocks in the recesses 32 as clearly shownin Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The rear end of the plunger 32 is enlarged to form a head 32 which is joined to the tapered portion 32 by a reduced neck 32 This head32 is shouldered to form a seat for the coiled spring 41 which extcndstherefrom to the end 20 of the socket member 20, a central seating lug 20 serving to properly position this spring at its rear end.

The rear ends of the wedge blocks 3'? and 38 are grooved or cut away as indicated by 12 to form a seat for the coiled spring 1:5, which extends therefrom to the end wall 2O of the socket 20, this spring bein relatively the strongest of the three rearend springs.

The wedge blocks 36, 37 and 38 all have their inner sides inclined to contact w'th the convergingsurfaces of the tapcred'plunger v ends 32 and 32, the interposed coiied springs 39 functioning normally to maintain the wedge blocks in separated rel Lion as shown inFig. 1.

in the operation of the device, assuming a buiiing stran is tobe imparted to the coupler shank 12, the coupler will he moved inwardly with respect to the yoke 13. carrying with it the follower 19- and shifting the elements of the draft gear inwardly with respect to the socket 20 which is held against shift by the yoke which, in turn is held against such movement by the draft lugs 11.

to the movements of members This movement is resisted by the springs 30,

ll and 45. The resistance oil'ered by spring to the movement of wedge blocks 3'? and 38 is greater than that of springs 30 and {l1 v 27, 28- and plunger 32 respectively, due to the greater strength of the former spring and this war set up an increased frictional resistance between wedge blocks 37, 38, alnnger end 32 and slide plates 27, 28. This tends to separate the slide plates and ncreases th'e ltric tion between such plates and the top and bottom of the socket 20. At the same time, the resistance or spr ng 4-1 to the movement or plunger 82 enhances dietrictional contact between the front wedge blocks and 36,

the shower end li and the slide lates 27 L .t: l v V J parts being subjected'to an increasing wedging action, it will be found that resistance to movement of the coupler butt Will be greatly increased during its travel ii-r0111 normal or. neutral position, although such movement is amply cushioned by the coiled springs Which interpose a yielding 're istance but which also multiplythe resistance o'ltered by the friction members. 1 The act'on is similar under draft strains save that the coupler butt picks up the yoke 13 and movesit and the other movable members by the interposed springs 30, 41 and 45, the" resistance to draft 'movement being otherwise similar to the resistance of the bailing movement.- During the draft move ment, the 't'ollowe'r 19 prevents longitudinal movement of the slide plates 27,"28,-but in lieu of moving these the socket member 20 moves, and the relative movement and resistances are the same as above described.

It wf ll be apparent that my invention is susceptible 0t modification and I do not wish H to be lGStlLClIOd'tO't-lw torm shown and described, except as defined in the appended claims. 7 WhatI claim is i 1. socket member, a pair of slide members slidably mounted therein, a plunger tapered at each end, a wedge block between springs. V I I In witness whereof, I hereunto'subscrlbe each tapered end and one of said slide meni- 1 here, means to yieldingly resist movement of said slide members, plunger and blocks, said blocks being spaced apart, means yieldingly nainta'ning saidblocks innormal spaced relation, said-last named means comprising a coiled spring said plunger being recessed to accommodate said spring.

2. A soclret member, a pairofslidc, members slidably mounted therein, a plunger tapered at each end, a WBCl 'Q block between each tapered end and one, otsaid slide members, means to yieldingly resist movement of said slide members, plunger and blocks, said blocks being spaced apart, means yieldingly maintaining said blocks. in normal spaced re lation, said last named means. comprising coiled springs, said plunger being recessed accommodate said springs, said blocks extending lnto said slide members, 'wedge blocks and plunger. i

'4, A; socket member, a pair of slide members sl'idable therein in contact with the walls thereof, aplungerlocated between said slide members and spaced therefrom, said plunger being provided "1th spaced tapered'portions, wedge blocks interposed betweeirsaid tapered portions and said slide members, means to yieldingly resist movement of said slide members and wedge blocks, the members of each pair or said wedge locks being normally.spa'ced'apart, and a springiinterposed betwe en'said spaced wedge blocks, said plunger being recessed. to accommodate said my name to thisspeoification.

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